The fact that this region was under the Hill family’s control didn’t pose any concerns to Llewellyn.
Since Llewellyn had left on a whim, he decided to keep traveling on a whim. And in fact, it was also because he had faith in his own ability. The faith that whatever the sorcerers of the Hill family may try to do to him, that he can easily overcome it.
Llewellyn knew he was a genius. It was not his own delusion but an open fact. Anyone who had seen the young Duke of Rasiane’s sword would describe him as such.
‘I even brought a few sacred relics just in case.’
The divine power within sacred relics was fatal to sorcerers due to the wicked nature of their mana.
‘Well…I don’t think I’ll have to use the sacred relics.’
Llewellyn didn’t think the Hill family’s sorcerers would hurt or kill him.
‘They wouldn’t…Those bastards would see me as a valuable test subject.’
Every high ranking sorcerer in the Mage Tower was aware that Llewellyn was a unique case of having both mana and divine power.
Therefore, Llewellyn knew the sorcerers would try to capture him to be used as a valuable test subject rather than hurt him.
‘Crazy bastards.’
Llewellyn ridiculed the sorcerers with contempt. By and large, people in the Duchy of Rasiane hated sorcerers. It was the same for him.
To him, the sorcerers in the Mage Tower and the Hill family, who had forsaken ethics to seek the truth, were the enemy of Rasiane.
‘I’m not afraid of the Hill family’s scums.’
With spirited thoughts, Llewellyn headed to the beach. As he was enjoying the beautiful beach scenery, he suddenly caught sight of a villa.
The villa was not far from the beach. Llewellyn was certain that the villa belonged to the Hill family, but thought it wouldn’t be dangerous to take a quick look.
Thinking so, Llewellyn quickened his steps. The closer he got, the more he could make out the beautiful villa.
‘This villa is wasted on the Hill family.’
Llewellyne could smell a gentle scent of roses in the air. Pretending to be a local girl out for a walk, he surveyed the garden of the villa.
The view of the garden could be seen over the firmly closed black iron gate. Crimson summer roses were in full bloom everywhere.
Llewellyn wandered around the villa for some time, but in the end, he couldn’t overcome his curiosity and crossed the wall.
‘I wonder which sentimental sorcerer had prepared such a beautiful villa.’
In his mind, sorcerers were an eccentric, evil, and unsympathetic bunch.
Llewellyn naturally didn’t think all sorcerers were like that, with the exception of the Hill family’s sorcerers. Even though he had never met a sorcerer from the Hill family in person, he thought as such.
‘What if they’re disguising the outside to look nice, but committing evil inside?’
It was a sudden idea, but Llewellyn thought it was a reasonable guess.
‘As the Duke of Rasiane, if the sorcerers are committing evil here, they deserve to be punished.’
Llewellyn bravely went deeper into the garden.
The scent of roses deepened as Llewellyn went inside. The roses were not dark but a subtle crimson color.
‘Who chose these roses?’
They were lighter than red, and darker than cherry blossoms. It was precisely such a color. Also, Llewellyn didn’t know if it was a common breed or not, but the scent was very strong.
Feeling as if he’ll become intoxicated by that sweetness, he pinched his nose and frowned. He thought perhaps the garden full of roses was a trap set up by a sorcerer.
‘A trap to captivate the heart of their victims…’
“…?”
Llewellyn halted his steps when something suddenly caught his sight.
A young girl was modestly sitting in the middle of the rose garden.
It was an enclosed space surrounded by large rose trees with a white bench and a pearly fountain in the middle.
The girl, dressed in blue and sitting atop the white bench, was fast asleep.
Her hair was a deep pink like the roses that surrounded her.
She was lightly holding a book, as if she was going to drop it, with her white slender hand.
There was a small table next to the bench with the fruits and lemon water that the girl had prepared. The lemon water was sparkling in the sun.
Llewellyn was taken aback at the unexpected encounter. He thought he’d encounter a sorcerer in a black robe, but what actually appeared in front of him was a girl as beautiful as a porcelain doll.
‘…This girl, was she captured and taken here?’
Other than that, it didn’t make sense to him no matter how much he thought.
‘Why would a girl like this be in a sorcerer’s den…’
“…”
Llewellyn, who had been staring at the sleeping girl, slowly approached her.
‘I’m going to save her if she had been captured…but if she wasn’t…who is she?’
Llewellyn stopped in front of the girl. Her face looked even more beautiful when he got a closer look.
The girl’s slightly golden eyelashes were a little darker than her hair color. Her crimson hair, which curled down, was tied with a blue ribbon. It complimented her light blue dress and silver shoes. The toecap had a precious crystal decoration on it, so Llewellyn was able to tell that the girl had quite a high background.
‘Doesn’t the head of the Hill’s family have a daughter?’
Thinking about it, Llewellyn had heard such a rumor. Specifically, the daughter of the Mage Tower’s master was so precious that nobody has even seen a strand of her hair.
‘Is this his daughter?’
The thought that it might be this girl had somehow made his blood run cold. He stared at the girl, then nimbly snatched the book she was holding.
Llewellyn was simply curious what kind of book it was. He thought perhaps she was learning some dangerous accursed magic. Thinking so, he flipped open the book.
Although different from what Llewellyn had expected, he was still shocked.
“…”
The book was full of dessert pictures. There weren’t many words written in it. Taken aback, Llewellyn checked the cover.
< A collection of all the delicious desserts in the world. >
Llewellyn was so dumbfounded that he unconsciously sighed when he saw the title.
“This…”
Speechless, Llewellyn placed the book next to the girl. He felt like a fool for thinking she was the daughter of the Mage Tower’s master.
Llewellyn shook his head and wondered if he should wake the girl, but at that moment, the girl slowly opened her eyes.
The girl’s eyes, which were as clear as jewels, became clearly visible.
It reminded him of a light ruby he once saw. The girl’s eyes were like that ruby. It was as fair as the sunlight reflected in those eyes.
“…”
Llewellyn was immobilized, lost in her eyes.
As Llewellyn blinked absentmindedly, the girl sluggishly closed and opened her eyes.
Then, with a surprised look, she came to her senses and covered her mouth with both hands and yawned loudly.
‘She’s getting up to stretch, and doing gymnastics?’
Llewellyn found it absurd. This was the first time he had seen such a case, as he had always been around noblewomen with good manners.
While still doing gymnastics, the girl asked him.
“Who are you? Are you the daughter of one of the servants that came? By the way, you look very pretty.”
“I’m…”
The girl’s voice was high and clear. It was soft and ticklish like a fluttering butterfly.
Llewellyn thought that was why. The reason why his throbbing heart had a strange itchy feeling. He felt his cheeks becoming hot for some reason, and this place becoming too much to bear.
In the end, gripping his dress, he turned around and started running. Behind him came the bewildered voice of the girl.
“Huh? Wait a minute! Where are you going all of a sudden?”
Llewellyn ignored the call and ran vigorously. Forgetting his decorum as Duke of Rasiane, he didn’t know why he ran. He just wanted to shake off the strange feeling.
‘How long did I run?’
Before Llewellyn knew it, he had arrived at the station.
There, stood his aides and knights with a slight look of anger. He didn’t know how his position was discovered.
“…”
Having ran madly through the wind, Llewellyn, who had bumped into them dressed as a girl, just stood silently.
His heart was still beating fast.
‘Maybe it’s because I ran with all my might.’
Thinking so, Llewellyn tried to shake off the lingering image of the girl in the rose garden.
“Let’s return, your grace.”
“…”
Said an aid who approached him. He simply nodded his head.
The young Duke and his retainers got on the train together.
It carried the boy back as fast as it had arrived.
They quickly reached the Duchy of Rasiane. Thus, it was very easy to forget the girl who was like a rose, and what had happened in the rose garden.
…Or, it should have been easy.
Nonetheless, that was how his breakout in early summer came to an end before his birthday. However, he had a feeling that the scent of roses from that time was still ingrained in his being.
The color of summer roses would occasionally linger, perhaps because it was unique and vivid.
Four years and three months have passed since the Duke of Rasiane’s shocking escape.
Since then, Llewellyn had often escaped, causing stress to his retainers. However, he never went south to the region controlled by the Hill family again.
And in fact, the pure Duke of Rasiane’s escapes since had always been a short stroll, a day trip, or sightseeing. Such a degree was adorable, so everyone’s mind relaxed.
Everyone was relieved that their Duke was upright and didn’t gamble, drink alcohol, or lived like a prodigal. Everyone thought as such.
“This is Her Majesty the Empress’ invitation, your grace.”
Ahead of the coming of age ceremony, the young man will be 18 years old after his birthday. Llewellyn Rasiane grew up splendidly, and was the best husband candidate among not only the royal family, but also royal families from foreign countries.
For him to be invited to the Empress’ spring banquet was quite natural. Everyone was curious about the young Duke of Rasiane.
And naturally, the Empress had the Duke in mind for her precious youngest daughter.
‘It’s a little tiresome.’
Llewellyn was annoyed by the Empress’ attention.
“Will you attend the banquet?”
Asked the steward who brought the invitation. Llewellyn, looking at the Empress’ fancy invitation, casually answered.
“I guess so.”
“Yes, then I’ll prepare your formal wear.”
“Okay.”
“…Do you have any instructions for me?”
“Not really…Ah.”
Having answered bluntly up to this point, Llewellyn, as if he had just thought of something, added.
“Have it be blue.”
Time passed and it became the day of the banquet.
Llewellyn attended the banquet wearing a blue suit carefully prepared by his retainers.
All eyes were on him as soon as he appeared at the banquet.
His conspicuous platinum blond hair gracefully shined under the chandelier lights, and his emerald eyes glittered brightly with a calm air.
Only
Like always, Llewellyn was unrealistically beautiful, and looked like the incarnation of a deity.
With everyone wanting to catch more glimpses of him, a commotion had broken out,
They walked with a glint in their eyes towards His Grace, the Duke of Rasiane.
Luckily, his unceasing popularity died down after a while. He could finally take a breath and quench his dry throat with champagne.
It was only when the hectic conversations died down that Llewellyn was able to relax and dwell on what had been on his mind.
‘I heard they’re going to attend today.’
Adrian Hill and his sister.
Translator’s Note:
1. Changed mana poisoning to mana congestion.
2. Changed Duke Rasiane to Duke of Rasiane.
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